Helen Burstyn speaks to supporters after her second-place finish in Beaches-East York. (BURSTYN_PIC2_E)

While the Liberal candidate for Beaches-East York won’t be going to Queen’s Park, she warned that she would not disappear on the important issues.

The Liberal candidate Helen Burstyn fought to unseat the incumbent New Democrat Michael Prue in Thursday’s provincial election. The final tally showed Prue with 17,807 votes and Burstyn 13,816. Inside Wise Guys Deluxe Grill & Bar, in Toronto’s east-end, Burstyn was greeted with applause. But she made it clear her run in politics wasn’t over.

“I didn’t choose an easy riding,” she said. “But let me tell you, I did choose it and I chose it because it was a place that had so much that needed to be done. I still think it needs a lot, so it’s not going to lose me.”

Burstyn wasn’t the only one to hand out praise. Her friend of 15 years Ann Louise Vehovec was quick to explain why she supported Burstyn.

“You know she’s doing this for all the right reasons, so you want to come out and support her personally,” Vehovec said. “It’s not everybody that wants to jump in to the fray and run for a seat and I really respect that.”

Having lost by only about 3,000 votes, Burstyn narrowed the margin between the two parties which stood at over 7,000 in 2007.

“I can’t believe I’ve been so lucky to have so many people be there for me; because I wanted to be there for Beaches-East York,” Burstyn said.